This has been knocking around on the back burner for some time, but lots of commenters have been clamoring for it. So let's return to Erica and see how she's faring...
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Turning the card over and over in her hands, Erica debated with herself.
I shouldn't.
But I want to.
It's a bad idea.
So was taking his card in the first place.
He'll think I like him.
C'mon, I do like him.
That's the damn problem!
"He did say to call anytime..." she tried to convince herself. "But I doubt he meant two in the morning," she countered, flopping back on the pillows.
She had gone to bed hours ago, but after reading for more than an hour and laying in the darkness for another few, she knew that sleep would be eluding her tonight. And it was times like this that her thoughts drifted to her father...
Deciding, she flipped open her cell and dialed the number on the card. It rang five times and Erica almost hung up before someone picked up.
"Hello?"
"Hi, Chris? It's Erica," she said, surprised at her own nervousness. She knew she was crossing a line here, and didn't really know what would come of it. "From New York," she added, when the line was silent for a moment.
Chris laughed. "I know which Erica you are, I was just a little surprised to hear from you. Not that I even know any other Ericas, really."
"I didn't wake you did I? I know it's late bu-"
"It's two in the afternoon here in Shanghai," Chris said, and Erica felt a little better. "But that means it's two in the morning in... Are you alright? What's wrong?"
"I'm fine, I just..." she exhaled in frustration and finished in a rush, "I couldn't sleep and I wanted to talk to someone."
"Ah."
"You offered."
"That I did." There was a smile in his voice.
"Is this a bad time?"
"No, not really... You're distracting me from some very tedious work, actually."
"Glad I could help," she said, relaxing back onto the bed. "So how's China? I thought you weren't going back for a while."
Erica and Chris had had three more dates since that night two months ago when everything changed for them. Erica had done everything she could to maintain the appropriate professional distance, but she couldn't stop herself from enjoying the time she spent with him.
"That was the plan, but all of a sudden there was an emergency and they needed me here to oversee a bunch of stuff and... Here I am. Got here the day before yesterday."
"Big emergency?"
"Not really... An injection molder broke, which led to some assembly problems, and the backlog screwed up the whole order process... It was a mess, but nothing I needed to come over here for. Eighteen hours of travel for like a three hour problem."
"Sorry to hear it."
"Ah, it's alright. Since I'm here I'm sticking around for a week or two and following up on some things. Kai's pleased to see me, she's got me back in training."
"Really? It's not like you slacked off when you were home."
"Can you tell her that please? She's become full on sadistic. I couldn't even get out of bed the day after she finished with me.
"Oh really?" Erica said, her voice teasing. "Are you sure she's still just your trainer?"
"What's the matter, jealous?" Chris sassed back. "I literally couldn't get out of bed. My thighs, my gut, everything was so sore I could hardly move. Getting from prone to standing... The guys here laughed their asses off when I shambled into the office."
Erica laughed. "I bet. So have any other adventures?"
"Uh... Well the other night Sheng and Jet took me out to this club. It was something else. Remember how I told you there weren't that many women around?"
"Yeah."
"Well someone needed to tell this place that. Girls everywhere, and a lot of western girls too. Everyone was really friendly. And none of them spoke English, but they still all wanted to talk to me."
"None of them spoke English?"
"No, all the western girls were from like Hungary or Romania. Gorgeous, dressed to kill. Really nice too, kept trying to talk to me..."
"Uh, Chris..."
"Yeah, I know. They took me to a brothel, I figured it out," he said, laughing. "I'm sitting there, surrounded by three gorgeous women who I totally can't communicate with, but they're laughing at everything I'm saying... That was the tip off, I think."
"So, did you... partake?"
"No, sorry to disappoint you," he grumped. "Not that I wasn't tempted but... I don't think I could sleep with some strange woman who I can't even talk to."
"Oh I've just ruined you for other whores is all," Erica said, grinning.
"I, uh, I guess you have," Chris agreed after a moment. Erica frowned in the darkness: Chris didn't like being reminded that she was a whore. "But besides my brothel adventures and evenings at the gym, so far this is a lot like my last trip here. How about you? What's new?"
"Nothing really, just gearing up for spring break," she said absently.
"How's, uh, work?" It took Erica a moment before she realized what he was asking.
"It's fine... Missing my favorite client though," she said, hoping to change the topic.
"I should be back in New York in a couple weeks. You'll see me soon enough," he said quietly, but Erica could sense that the mood had changed a little. "It's uh, it's nice to hear from you. Didn't think you'd call."
"I... I hadn't planned on it, honestly," she said, a little sheepishly, "but you know how it is when you go to bed and just lay there? Your mind wanders. Sometimes it's a little shitty if you aren't in the best mood."